Cowtail holder



C. SCHIRMER COWTAIL HOLDER July 8, 1941.

Filed Feb. 16, 1940 .w e 5 m m. C

Patented July 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE 4 p cow'rAIL HOLDER Clara Schirmer, Rib Lake, Wis.

Application February 16, 1940, Serial No. 319,343

3 Claims.

This invention relates to dairy farm equipment and more particularly cowtail holders.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a cowtail holder adapted to be efficient in operation and cheap to manufacture.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a cowtail holder having gripping jaws of such construction that a cows tail cannot slip therefrom during the milking operation.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a cowtail holder having coacting gripping jaws yieldably retained in closed relation to one another.

A still further object of this invention resides in a cowtail holder having its gripping jaws provided with teeth of particular configuration.

In addition to the aforesaid objects, this invention resides in the particular assemblage of the elements comprising the cowtail holder.

Aside from the above objects this invention resides in the provision of a cowtail holder connected to a leg clamp by a suitable flexible element.

With these and other objects in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction to be hereinafter fully set forth in the specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims and, while this disclosure depicts my present conception of the invention, the right is reserved to resort to such changes in arrangement and construction as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a cowtail holder as constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof.

In the present embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 designates, in general, a cowtail holder which consists of a male jaw 6 and female jaw 1 having opposed teeth 8 and 9, the latter mentioned series of which are disposed in close proximity to the outer surfaces of the former mentioned series to prevent lateral movement of the jaws relative to one another.

Formed on the outer extremity of the female jaw is a tooth in which acts to grip a cows tail in advance of and on a line running longitudinally between the teeth 8 and 9 on opposite sides of the male and female jaws.

The medial portions of the jaws converge toward a certain point as at H from which point the inner ends of the jaws diverge to form opposed handles I 3.

Disposed between the jaws at the point I I is a coil spring I4 having its opposite ends bearing against the handles l3 as indicated at 15, said coil spring, while herein being secured to the jaws by wire loops l6 which pass therethrough and have their ends suitably secured together with certain portions thereof seated in notches l'l formed in opposite sides of the handles, may be otherwise disposed between the jaws in any well known manner if desired.

The handles are preferably of different lengths, the longer one of which is apertured as at l8 to receive the end of a chain l 9 beyond the end of the shorter handle so as to permit the maximum pivotal movement of the shorter handle when pressed inwardly.

Secured to the free end of the chain I9 is a suitable leg hook 20 or clamp.

With this invention fully set forth, it is manifest that a cowtail holder is provided which can be depended upon to securely grip the tail of a cow when milking and, through the provision of the simple assemblage of elements thereof, it can be cheaply manufactured and sold at a low price.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cowtail holder, a clamp including a pair of jaws, said jaws including normally parallel front end portions and diverging rear end portions, said jaws being connected to pivot about a common axis located between the jaws at the forward ends of the diverging portions, the front end portions consisting of parallel side edged bodies and each having at each side edge a series of equal teeth of right angle triangular form with the hypothenuses of the triangles directed toward the front end of the clamp and the remaining free sides of the teeth on one plate extending at right angles to the longitudinal extent of the body and the teeth on one jaw having their last mentioned sides alined with the teeth on the other jaw, the teeth on one jaw overlapping the teeth on the other jaw.

2. In a cowtail holder, a clamp including a pair of jaws, said jaws including normally parallel front end portions and diverging rear end portions, said jaws being connected to pivot about a common axis located between the jaws at the forward ends of the diverging portions, the front end portions consisting of parallel side edged bodies and each having at each side edge a series of equal teeth of right angle triangular form with the hypothenuses of the triangles directed toward the front end of the clamp and the remaining free sides of the teeth on one plate extending at right angles to the longitudinal extent of the body and the teeth on one jaw having their last mentioned sides alined with the teeth on the other jaw, the teeth on one jaw overlapping the teeth on the other jaw, one of said jaws having a terminal tooth extending across said jaw to the other jaw and constituting stop means.

' 3. In a cowtail holder, a clamp including a pair of jaws, said jaws including normally parallel front end portions and diverging rear end portions, said jaws being connected to pivot about a common axis located between the jaws at the forportions consisting of parallel side edged bodies and each having at its side edge a series of equal teeth of right angle triangular form with the hypothenuses of the triangles directed toward the front end of the clamp and the remaining free sides of the teeth on one plate extending at right angles to the longitudinal extent of the body and the teeth on one jaw having their last mentioned sides alined with the teeth on the other jaw, the teeth on one jaw overlapping the teeth on the other jaw, one of said jaws having a terminal tooth extending across said jaw to the other jaw and constituting stop means, said pivotal connection including a spring urging said jaws to closed position.

CLARA SCHIRMER. 

